Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 2-4 filet mignon steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick
• Salt
• Extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
• 3-4 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 2 cups full bodied red wine
• Black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Get the steaks ready first. They should be free of tough silver skin; if you see any chewy or gristly pieces, trim them off. If the chain is still attached and you would rather not plate it with the filets, remove it and set it aside for another use.
2. Leave the steaks out so they can lose their chill, at least 30 minutes and as long as 90 minutes, with the exact timing based on thickness. Right before cooking, blot them thoroughly with paper towels, rub them with oil, and season generously with salt.
3. Set a cast iron pan over high heat and warm 2 tablespoons of oil for 1 minute. Tilt the skillet so the oil coats the surface. Add the steaks to the hot pan, then lower the burner right away to medium or medium high; on a powerful gas stove, medium heat can be closer to medium high on many electric stoves. Cook without moving the steaks for at least 3 minutes, or as long as 6 minutes for a 2-inch thick steak.
4. Turn the steaks over and cook the second side for 2-5 minutes, adjusting for the thickness of the meat and how done you want it. Check doneness with the finger test, or use a meat thermometer in the center of the thickest area: rare is 120 degrees F to 125 degrees F, medium rare is 130 degrees F to 135 degrees F, and medium is 140 degrees F to 145 degrees F. Transfer the steaks out of the pan, cover them loosely with foil, and let them rest while you work on the sauce.
5. Pour the wine into the skillet and raise the heat to high. Let it boil hard until the liquid has reduced by 3/4, about 10 minutes. Stir in any juices that have collected from the resting steaks.
6. Turn the burner off and pause until the wine is no longer bubbling. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, swirling after each addition until it disappears into the sauce before adding more.
7. Season the sauce with salt to taste, then spoon it over the steak. Finish the meat with freshly ground black pepper as you serve it.